1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for covering a recess in a tiled wall, comprising a receptacle, which is adapted to be fitted into the recess, and a tile cover, which is connected to the receptacle by pivotal mounting means and adapted to be accommodated by the receptacle, wherein said pivotal mounting means are connected to the receptacle at lugs, which are provided on the receptacle and extend normal to the plane of the tile cover in its closed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to permit an access to technical equipment and fittings accommodated in the recess, the cover is detachably held in the receptacle in most cases by screw means or magnetic fasteners. The cover may be combined with different receptacles, which may consist, e.g., of fixed or adjustable frames or of segments adapted to be individually installed. But the handling of such known covers is rather complicated because when the recess is to be opened the cover must be held with both hands and removed and laid aside and the cover must be carefully fitted into the receptacle to close the recess. Whereas hinged covers can be handled more conveniently, they have not been successful thus far because the conventional receptacles embedded in the recess or between the masonry and the tiles are held in place only by relatively weak joints unless complicated operations involving the masonry are performed. For this reason the receptacles cannot support the cover as firmly as would be required for a hinged mounting. Besides, such receptacles should be as unconspicuous as possible from the outside and for this reason consist of thin sheet metal elements or sections and will not withstand any substantial load.
It is apparent from French Pat. No. 2,505,921 that covering devices having a hinged cover are known but the receptacle associated with that cover consists of a strong frame, which is provided with peripheral supporting lugs, which have fixing flanges interlocking with the masonry. The means for pivotally mounting the cover comprise mutually opposite hinge pins, which are centrally provided on the frame and received by mating bearing eyes of the cover so that the latter is pivoted on a centrally disposed transverse axis. That covering device has an expensive frame and its installation requires complicated preparatory and installing operations. Besides, it can be used only with recesses which are so deep that they permit the cover to be swung open, and that known device is an appreciable disturbance in the otherwise uniform appearance of the tiled wall. For these reasons the use of the known covering device is restricted in spite of the high expenditure involved.